Acne Treatments - Which is Best?

When it comes to treating your acne, there's so much choice and so many ways to going about the treatment. Acne is a real pain for all sufferers, whether you just get a few spots when you eat too many cakes, or if you're a full blown chronic sufferer all year round.

Acne treatments are similarly varied - some work a little bit some of the time, and some work a lot some of the time. So far though, no wonder-cure acne treatments have been invented, except perhaps one which we'll look at in a minute. No doubt you've tried many different ways of treating acne, and most have probably been fairly inneffectual. Below, we will examine several approaches to acne treatment.

#1 - Steroid creams. These are the most common means to treat acne. Doctors and dermatologists prescribe them to counteract the acne on the skin and boost the body's defense systems to keep it under control. If you have acne, treat it with steroid creams and see what happens - some people respond well, and others simply don't respond at all.

#2 - Facial washes. Similar to #1, facial washes treat acne by keeping the skin clean, opening pores to allow oil to escape properly and maintaining a neutral surface balance so the skin is happy. Facial washes are good for acne, and can treat many mild cases very successfully.

#3 - Electro therapy. Don't even go there. This is mad and shouldn't be attempted.

#4 - Chemical peels. Developed under some assumption that peeling off the skin will help remove the acne at the same time, chemical peels treat acne by basically dropping acid on your skin and letting it soak in. Then the top few layers of skin will peel off, hopefully leaving you acne free. Chemical peels do have an application in helping avoid scarring from acne, but treat them carefully. Only go this route as an absolute last resort.

#5 - Natural cures. Still seen as a bit of a joke by the general medical community, natural cures treat acne by attacking the root causes of acne, inside the body. They use techniques which have been around for hundreds of years and are based on our knowledge of foods and plants, and how our bodies work. They're not hugely expensive, they're fast, safe, healthy and will do you a world of good.

Treating acne might seem a bit complicated, but it really doesn't have to be. After reviewing tons of acne treatment programs online, I would strongly recommend "Acne Free In 3 Days". It uses all-natural methods to achieve rapid results, and is really worth looking into. Learn more about it, and how to cure your acne at Cure-Acne-Today.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_Fencer

Effective Treatments For Acne Scars

Effective Treatments For Acne Scars

By: Nathan James

People who suffer from mild or even moderate acne will usually recover without any serious scars. In severe cases however, scarring is almost an inevitable problem. Don't lose hope - new treatments can help to minimize scarring and there are new techniques that can even remove existing scars.

Pimples will often leave behind a patch of discolored skin. This discoloration isn't actually a scar - it usually clears up within a few months. Marks that remain for more than a year are considered to be scars.

The healing process can sometimes be accelerated by using medications like Retin-A, Renova and Alpha-Hydroxy. Sunshine can lead to further skin damage so always be sure to wear sunscreen when you are exposed to the sun for any length of time.

How To Prevent Scars

Scarring can be prevented with active treatment and self control. One of the most common things to lead to scarring is picking or squeezing acne. People often squeeze pimples, but this is one of the worst things they can do. This can cause skin damage which can lead to scarring, plus it can cause the bacteria that causes acne to spread, making the condition worse.

You also need to avoid picking scabs that form over acne lesions. These scabs are a part of the healing process and if they're picked off, it exposes the skin underneath which can lead to it not healing properly and scarring.

How to Treat Scars

Acne scars can be treated in a number of different ways. If the scarring is not too severe, a chemical peel may be an effective treatment. This will remove the top layer of skin and allow the cells beneath to rejuvenate themselves.

Severe cases of scarring can be treated with lasers or dermabrasion techniques. Lasers will remove the damaged layer of skin and tighten the underlying skin, raising the depression that the scar has caused.

Dermabrasion gets rid of scars by literally scraping away the surface of the skin where the scarring occurred. A new layer of skin is formed during healing, replacing the layer that was removed.

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How Professional Skin Care Can Stop Acne

How Professional Skin Care Can Stop Acne


by KRISTINE ANNE GONZAGA


Acne is one of the many skin problems experienced by people. According to statistics, almost 17 million Americans are affected by acne with 85% of which belonging to the 12-24 years age range. While there are a lot of over-the-counter acne products and skin care lines available today, professional assistance is still necessary for effective treatment of severe acne. A dermatologist can help treat acne better than skin care specialists at spas or skin clinics.

Advantages of enlisting professional help in treating acne

Accurate diagnosis Acne can come in several forms: whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples. However, there are also skin conditions that look similar to acne but are totally different. One example is the skin condition called keratosis pilaris that is manifested by tiny bumps much like whiteheads. A dermatologist can tell a patient whether the problem is really acne or just an acne-like condition.

Information Dermatologists take time to discuss patients’ medical history, diet, and other factors which may have contributed to the development of acne. This way, patients get informed on how their skin conditions came to be. As such, they are able to avoid activities that can worsen their acne.

More savings Since a dermatologist can provide patients with a correct and accurate diagnosis, the risks of wasting money on ineffective and inappropriate treatment are eliminated. As such, patients do not have to spend on extra dermatologist visits to correct treatment mistakes.

Types of professional acne treatment Aside from treatments like microdermabrasion, facial, and chemical peel – which can be performed by spa skin care specialists – dermatologists also treat acne using two methods. These are:

Cortisone shots These shots are usually administered by dermatologists for severe cases of cystic acne. Cortisone shots deliver cortisol, a hormone that is found naturally in the body, to help reduce the inflammation of current breakouts.

Hormonal pills Some cases of acne are traced to hormonal imbalances. As such, dermatologists often prescribe the use of contraceptive hormonal pills to correct the hormone levels in the body. Patients can also ask their gynaecologist for oral contraceptives that can help clear skin breakouts.

Given the many benefits of professional skin care assistance, people suffering from acne are advised to find a dermatologist that can work well with them.

Tips on finding a dermatologist for effective acne treatment

1.Ask for referrals and recommendations. When looking for a dermatologist for acne treatment, patients are advised to seek recommendations and referrals from people they know. A general practitioner is one’s best bet when looking for a dermatologist. Alternatively, patients can also ask people who have undergone acne treatment for referrals.

2.Seek a qualified dermatologist. License and certification are important to ensure that a practicing dermatologist is indeed qualified to perform treatments. Patients can look up Board-certified dermatologists on the Internet and ask for referrals from professional skin care associations.

3.Make proximity a priority. Patients are advised to find a practicing dermatologist near their homes. Since acne treatments are usually done in an out-patient basis, it is important to minimize exposure to pollutants and possible irritants. The sun, dust, and micro-particles in the air can irritate skin that had just undergone treatment.

4.Prioritize comfort. While qualified, not all dermatologists are blessed with great bedside manner. Patients must not be afraid to switch to a different dermatologist if their current one does not make them comfortable and is not able to address their acne concerns.